K.P.R. Mill Limited

Mar 2024 call

2024-05-06 Transcript PDF
Moderator

Thank you very much. The first question is from the line of Rushabh from RBSA Investment Manager. Please go ahead.

Rushabh

So regards to the African operations, we have had a bitter experience in the past. But recently, we have seen that a couple of entities, including an Indian company, they have acquired manufacturing setups in Kenya and Ethiopia. So how is the situation now in terms of feasibility of doing business there? Is it same or is it better, sir?

PL Murugappan

We have set up the manufacturing facility in Ethiopia, where in the particular region, there were some issues, so we have not proposed to go for further business opportunities in Africa right now. You maybe seeing it in the later.

Rushabh

But in terms of doing business there, is it feasible now? Or is it committed a problem that you're seeing?

PL Murugappan

Ethiopia is not feasible, because both Europe and the US has withdrawn the tax when we agreed to extend it to Ethiopia.

Rushabh

So what about Kenya or other African countries? Are we open to doing some business there in terms of -- some of our big customers say so, or we are looking at only Indian expansion going on.

PL Murugappan

Now we are looking at Indian expansions only, not looking at the overseas expansion.

Rushabh

Okay. So any new customers we added in this quarter?

PL Murugappan

Yes. We have added a few customers in the US in a smaller way, like BBB. Some of the new customers also in pipeline we expect it to come.

Moderator

The next question is from the line of Deepak from Sundaram Mutual Fund.

Deepak

I have a couple of question s. My first question is, since the past couple of months, there are talks about UK FTA. Now my question is, is FTA does comes through, what could be your addressable market opportunity in terms of dollar -rupee term for cotton-based basic knitwear apparel. And are we seeing increased inquiry from existing clients such as Primark or Marks & Spencer or prospective new clients in this regard?

PL Murugappan

Presently, the market is more or less stable, not much of new inquiries are coming. The existing buyers a re continuously placing the order and they're taking goods. The order portion is comparatively better than the previous period. We are having an order of close to 1,000 plus kind of order INR1,000 crores plus kind of order position. If UK FTA happens, it w ill be rather advantageous for KPR because we are already in Europe in a big way. It will help us to increase the market share.

Deepak

Okay. And sir, according to what could be the TAM or addressable market, which you are seeing for that cotton -based basic knitwear if that comes through?

PL Murugappan

It's only the UK. The deal is going to happen in the UK only. The addressable market would be UK only. Then we feel it may increase by another 5%, 10%.

Deepak

Okay. And so moving to second question sir, I h ave seen that whatever EBITDA margin you have shared in the past couple of years, if I calculate your EBITDA on per piece basis, it has jumped from INR30 -odd to, let's say, INR40 -odd presumably in FY '24. I want to understand, sir, what has caused this del ta of EBITDA per piece to move from INR30 to INR40. And is it sustainable? Or will it move back to pre-COVID levels?

PL Murugappan

Sir it is sustainable regards because we have increased the value addition in this segment. We already explained to you like we have introduced full body printing, fabric printing, garment printing, embroideries and other things in the recent past 2, 3 years' time. So slowly, the value additions are increasing in the garment. Even though it's a basic garment, we are adding some value addition then it is resulted in increased margins in the garment segment.

Deepak

Okay. So then it has nothing to do with power consumption cost reduction or gross profit per piece increase. It has everything to do with only value addition?

Deepak

Okay. Sir, one last question from my end. Sir, what was our total units generated in co-gen for FY '24? And how much was it used for captive consumption in million units?

PL Murugappan

We have prod uced somewhere around 11 crores units both the wind power and the solar and entirely captively consumed.

Deepak

Okay. So I'm asking specifically for co-gen?

PL Murugappan

Sorry, co -gen, we have produced to somewhere around 32 crores unit. It's unit consumption will be somewhere around 12 crores units for sugar production only, not for the textile production balance is sold in the market.

Deepak

Sir, 32 was full, and I could not hear the captive one?

PL Murugappan

32 crores units out of which 12 crores units consumed in-house.

Moderator

The next question is from the line of Awanish Chandra from SMIFS.

Congratulation management team on a good set of performance. Sir, my first question is related to garment. So we had 40 m illion piece production. So can we maintain this run rate? And my related question is the capex you announced for 30 million additional capacity. So will that come into the picture in FY '25, and we will be able to maintain this run rate?

PL Murugappan

Yes, yes, we can maintain this run rate. And we hope that the brownfield expansion is expected to complete in the first half of the year. So second half, we hope it will increase.

Okay. So after -- in the first half, we will have that 30 mil lion additional capacity and we can maintain this run rate?

This year, we had more million of pieces than the rated capacity. So how much outsourcing we have done or how did we manage this number?

PL Murugappan

Sir bro wnfield expansion is going on. It is like, it is not a new expansion. Now, in brownfield, we are adding machines because of the production is a little higher.

Okay. And sir, fabric number in rupees and million tons per quarter?

PL Murugappan

Yes. For the quarter, we have produced about 6,861 tons of fabric. 2,285 tons of fabric sold and the value of about INR 66 crores.

Okay, value of INR 66 crores. And sir, whatever we sell outside, everything is proces sed fabric. We don't sell anything gray fabric?

PL Murugappan

No, we sell only grey. We don't sell only fabric -- processed fabric.

Okay. So outside sales is grey fabric and captives is processed one?

PL Murugappan

Yes. For our own consumption, we process.

And sir last question, sir any other capex we are planning ethanol or sugar segment or anything on the garment different segment?

PL Murugappan

Right now, we are not planning for any expansion as it is. We will inform a lot of extended programs around now in discussion, we will inform you as and when it gets finalized.

Rajesh Kothari

A few questions from my side. One, how do you see the overall demand environment from the garment division perspective, if you can give the country-wise Europe, North America, Australia, in terms of the inventory destocking, is it over? And how is the likely season currently what do you see?

PL Murugappan

We are carrying inventory of about a 1 -month stock. And presently, the geographical sales is, Europe around 50%. U.S. is about to 20%, Australia is about 15%.

Rajesh Kothari

Yes, correct. I'm not asking the sales, as I'm saying, how do you see the each market in terms of the demand outlook for this...

PL Murugappan

Stable. Target is Stable. Whatever expansion we are doing in brownfield, we hope that it will be met with the demand.

Rajesh Kothari

I mean are you seeing that basically in the fi rst 6 months itself, you were able to run at optimal utilization?

PL Murugappan

For 6 months, we take to complete the project. We booked in the second half of the year, we will run it at optimal.

Rajesh Kothari

Okay. And typically, the optimal utilizatio n generally in the first 6 months, typically, how much one should assume?

PL Murugappan

First 6 months, somewhere around the same model as we have done this quarter somewhere around 40 million garments.

Rajesh Kothari

No. I'm saying, once your expansion project starts, say, for example, from September, am I right? For the...

PL Murugappan

We expect it to complete by September. So from the second half of -- not exactly. From the second half of the year, we hope that the production will come from the new brownfield expansion.

PL Murugappan

Hopefully, somewhere around 45 million garments per quarter.

Rajesh Kothari

40 million garments per quarter?

PL Murugappan

45 million garments per quarter.

Rajesh Kothari

Okay. So basically, what we are seeing is. So from 38 right now, your average is around 30, if I am not wrong, correct? From 38 you expect it to go up to 45? 40 to 45, something like that.

PL Murugappan

Yes.

Rajesh Kothari

So in first half before this starts, do you expect 40 -some million and then 45 million in the second half, that's how you are seeing it?

PL Murugappan

Yes, first half is somewhere around 40 m illion and the second half expected to be somewhere around 45 million.

Rajesh Kothari

Okay. And in terms of the overall realization per garment, do you see the new capacity, is it going for more value-added segment? Or do you think the realizing likely to product mix by and large will remain the same?

PL Murugappan

Remain the same.

Rajesh Kothari

Okay. Understood. And in terms of the raw material prices and margin, how do you see that? Are you getting any inventory right now from that perspective, yarn as well as fabric as well as your key raw materials?

PL Murugappan

Inventory stock, you are asking for?

Rajesh Kothari

Yes.

PL Murugappan

We have a cotton stock of about 3 months. Yarn, on average, it's market-driven. We are having a stock of about 10 to 15 days.

PL Murugappan

Three months, yes.

Rajesh Kothari

And are you seeing any significant increase in freight cost? Or is it broadly manageable?

PL Murugappan

Broadly manageable.

Rajesh Kothari

Okay. And in terms of the competition, how do you see the competitive environment? Are you seeing a very tough environment? Or is it by and large -- how do yo u treat the competition right now globally?

PL Murugappan

Globally, competition is tight only on the Asian countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, China and all competing rigorously. So it is same only.

Rajesh Kothari

I see. So the new…

Moderator

Sorry to i nterrupt you, sir. I request you to come back for a follow-up question.

Rajesh Kothari

This is just last question. So I'm seeing further significant improvement from second half. Maybe this kind of a demand is already tied up with the customer, this kind of supply of the new capacity?

PL Murugappan

No, we won't be tied up in advance. We will do it in the course of the business.

Rajesh Kothari

Got it. Thank you, sir. I will come back in queue.

Moderator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Am an Agrawal from Carnelian Capital. Please go ahead.

Aman Agrawal

Sir, thank you for the opportunity. Just wanted to get an idea on the EBITDA margin for yarn and garment segment for this quarter.

Aman Agrawal

If you can explain the decline in margins like yarn, if I'm not wrong, was 15% in last quarter, right, and garment was 27%. So what is the reason for the decline?

PL Murugappan

Being seasoned, there is a little fluctuation in the cotton prices.

Aman Agrawal

Okay. The premiums of cotton stock we are carrying, like what would be the cost of that which we are carrying on balance sheet rate?

PL Murugappan

We cannot disclose the prices on whatever is the cost of material and all. It's only the a pproximate number only we can tell.

Aman Agrawal

Sir, any reason for the decline in garment market. Is it also like the cotton prices or was there any other factor?

PL Murugappan

No. They are basically the inventory cost.

Aman Agrawal

Sir, we had announced a capex for processing facility, which we are expecting to finish in 1, 1.5 years. So how is that progressing in terms of getting government approvals and like when can we have that processing facility available, which will be, obviously, for our futur e growth, not for the current, but for the future growth?

PL Murugappan

Yes, it is in progress. We hope that it will be completed as per the plan.

Aman Agrawal

By when do we expect that to complete?

PL Murugappan

I expect it to be first half of 2025-'26.

Aman Agrawal

H1 '26. Are we seeing any impact due to the Red Sea issue or like that is behind us like if you can talk about? Are we seeing any impact of the Red Sea issue like in terms of availability of containers for exports? So just wanted to get an idea on that.

PL Murugappan

Not much of an impact.

Aman Agrawal

Sorry, sir.

PL Murugappan

Not much of an impact and the business is as usual.

Aman Agrawal

Got it. Thank you for answering my question, sir.

Moderator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Vikas Jain from Equirus Capital. Please go ahead.

Equirus Capital

Yes. Hi, sir. Thank you, sir, for the opportunity. Sir, firstly, if you could comment the 40 million pieces of garment that we did, how much was the share of essentials or full length garments?

PL Murugappan

So it's more or less completely essential. We are into that segment only.

Equirus Capital

So ideally, is it like -- is there any dramatic change in the product mix between -- on a year -on-year or on a sequential basi s between last quarter and this quarter?

PL Murugappan

No, sir, more or less the same.

Equirus Capital

More or less the same. Okay. And sir, in terms of garment margins, of course, in lower scenario, which is, say, 26%, 27% margins as well. But on a steady st ate basis, 24% is something that we should…?

PL Murugappan

It's 22% to 24% is what we can take as a steady margin.

Equirus Capital

Okay. And sir, if you could take -- give a difference between the revenue of sugar and ethanol and the margins there as well?

PL Murugappan

Yes. The sugar division as a whole, the margin is about 28%. Sugar revenue, INR 73 crores.

PL Murugappan

Sugar revenue is about INR73 crores for the quarter. The ethanol is about INR150 crores.

Equirus Capital

Okay. And the margins for both the segments individually?

PL Murugappan

Individually, we do not have. The combined margin is about 28%.

Equirus Capital

And sir, just one small request. If you could share these operational details along with the presen tation, I believe that could be much better for the investor side. Just a small request from my side.

PL Murugappan

Yes. Actually, it will come in the balance sheet detailing. Maybe in 10, 15 days' time, we'll be publishing it. Anyway, we will discuss with our team and let you know.

Equirus Capital

Yes. Thank you so much, sir.

Moderator

The next question is from the line of Yash from ithought PMS. Please go ahead.

Yash

Yes. Hi, team, and thank you for the opportunity. If you could firstly repeat the capex plan, my line got disconnected. And secondly, I believe a few of the peers are looking at a little slightly more aggressive capex in terms of garment expansion. So wanted to understand what is our strategy over the next 2 to 3 years? Probably of our existi ng capacity, what sort of capacity are we planning to put up? Yes, that's the first question.

PL Murugappan

We propose to investing in the textile segment only right now and we are waiting for the market to improve. Basically in the yarn segment, it is st ill carrying a margin pressure. And yarn segment having a margin pressure means in the garment business has to improve, then only the margin will improve. So the garment industry, especially the knitwear industry, is still having order issues. So the marke t situation is not very comfortable. So we hope that the things will improve in the coming half of the year, then we will decide on further capex in the textile business. By the time we are doing the brownfield expansion, it will continue. It will be completed sometime in the first half of this year, and it will start giving revenue in first half of the year. Other expansions, we have not decided yet.

Yash

Okay, sir. So brownfield is 30 million, right, if I'm not wrong?

PL Murugappan

Yes.

Yash

Okay, got it. Sure, sir. If I have any other questions, I'll come back.

Moderator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Ahmed Madha from Unifi Capital. Please go ahead.

Unifi Capital

Yes, thank you for the opportunity. Just I wanted to understand the garment number a little better for the Q4. If I look at the Q4 volume data, it is roughly 41 million pieces. So how w e have been able to do this much volume considering our capacity? I think it is annual near 150 million. So I'm not able to understand how the volume number is so high? Is it -- did we have any inventory or what is...?

PL Murugappan

The sales volume is a little fair because we have some of the inventories have got liquidated during this quarter. Actual production volume is about 40 million and sales volume is about 49 million.

Unifi Capital

Okay. And we should be able to sustain 40 million in the next year first half?

Unifi Capital

Okay. And regarding the realization decline about 20% realization decline compared to Q2. So is it just a function of cost cotton price? Or is it a function of any value mix change?

PL Murugappan

More of the cotton price.

Unifi Capital

Okay. And on the sugar business, I think we had a couple of weak quarters for Q3 and Q4. So I think is it fair to assume that in the next couple of quarters. So that this sugar season, 2023, '24, it will be this and then fro m next season onwards, which will pick up. How should we think about the sugar business?

PL Murugappan

This is offseason for sugar for the first half of the year will be a little less and the second half being seasoned, it will be a little higher. Overall, we have achieved somewhere around 28% for the year. We hope that the things will be good for the coming year also.

Unifi Capital

But sir, I'm not able to understand that sugar volume peaks. Why are the volumes down for there? I understand you cannot utilize full capacity, but volumes should be good. What am I missing?

PL Murugappan

Yes. Sir you're right. But what happened is sugar, when we produce more sugar, we have to wait for the government getting started for selling, that way the volume is a little less.

Unifi Capital

So how much inventory we are taking on as of now?

PL Murugappan

We have Sugar inventory of close to about 150,000 tons.

Unifi Capital

150,000 tons. So do you expect that based on your inventory quota as of Q4 and you'll get some volume q uota for the next couple of quarters?

Moderator

The next question is from the line of Mulesh Savla from Shah & Savla LLP? Please go ahead.

Shah & Savla LLP?

Sir, can you throw a little more ligh t on the FASO activity, FASO business because how it is doing and what steps are we taking to increase the visibility and all those things?

PL Murugappan

In the marketing side, we are taking the next level of advertisement and the sales promotion activiti es in South India. It is going under -- we hope that it will be increasing the volume and the value also. The theatre and the advisement in the newspapers and the handouts and the in -store advisements those things are all going on. We hope that it will giv e a good result in the coming period.

Shah & Savla LLP?

By and large, are we now pan -India? Or still we have restricted our marketing efforts towards South?

PL Murugappan

South India only.

Shah & Savla LLP?

South India. Okay. And can you share the top line and EBITDA margin on that particular division?

PL Murugappan

It's not meaningful compared to the volume, whatever we have, but it is close to the top line, and I can tell you, it is somewhere around INR25 crores now.

Shah & Savla LLP?

For the quarter or for the year?

PL Murugappan

For the year.

Shah & Savla LLP?

So I think we need to push this up.

PL Murugappan

Yes.

Biplab Debbarma

My first question is on th e garment expansion. So has the situation improved in Europe or Germany, for you to consider greenfield expansion environment or the situation is still the same as it was in the 5-6 model?

PL Murugappan

So the situation is still gr im. Now both in Europe and especially Germany and all are facing some problems, especially higher inflation and lower demand and other things. We hope that the things will improve. It is because of the world order. We hope that things will improve in the coming period.

Biplab Debbarma

Okay. That's good. And the second question is on your sugar and ethanol production. If normal crushing we need this year, there is a normal crushing season. What is your estimate of sugar production and ethanol production in the financial year if everything remains normal?

PL Murugappan

First half of this year, if you want me to tell you the season, it is expected to be normal. But because of this drought situation in Karnataka and Maharashtra, government asked us to produce more sugar during this season. So the sugar production is higher than the ethanol production, and we expect it to be higher only in the sugar side. So ethanol production will be less. But in the coming season, hopefully, the things will be normal.

Biplab Debbarma

So that's wh at in FY '25, what do you think would be ballpark sugar production and ballpark ethanol production?

PL Murugappan

We expect to be somewhere around the 2 lakh tons of sugar, it is about the 6-7 crores litres of ethanol.

Moderator

The next question is from the light of Aditya Surana from AMSEC. Please go ahead.

PL Murugappan

Yes. Volume, yarn 19,000 tons, fabric 2,285 tons. Value for yarn is INR 496 crores, fabric INR 66 crores.

Aditya Surana

Okay. And what is the production number of sugar and ethanol in FY '24?

PL Murugappan

Sugar production in '24 in 1,76,000 tons sugar, 9 crores litres of ethanol.

Aditya Surana

Sorry, for ethanol?

PL Murugappan

9 crores litres of ethanol.

Moderator

The next question is from the line of Vineeth lambu from HSBC PMS. Please go ahead. Vineeth lambu: Yes. So looking for FY '24 average realization for garment is around INR170. So this would be -- for the FY '25, this will be the run rate? Or would you expect it to improve?

PL Murugappan

Basic prices are more or less the same when if the cotton prices fluctuates, it will may vary a little. Otherwise, we expect it to be the same line. Vineeth lambu: So we are expecting it to be around INR170.

PL Murugappan

Yes, around INR170.

Moderator

The next question is from the line of Lokesh Manik from Vallum Capital. Please go ahead.

Vallum Capital

Sir, my question is on the U.K. FDA. So just to understand if India goes through with the U.K. FDA, does this give you access to the European markets in terms of we have to go directly through to EUFDA. So would you be able to service European markets though the U.K. FDA route with the brands that we are associated with other customers that you are serving.

PL Murugappan

We have to see the final form of the FDA, then only we can comment about it.

Vallum Capital

But would there be any intercountry duties between U.K. and EU with FDA supply chain ending?

PL Murugappan

We have to see, sir.

Moderator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Amruta Sane from Wealth Managers India Private Limited.

Wealth Managers India Private Limited

Thank you for the opportunity. I have two questions. First is regarding the garment capacities. As in right now, we have 157 million garment capacity which we are increasing to 170 million garment capacity?

PL Murugappan

177, correct.

Wealth Managers India Private Limited

So after this, do we have any scope for any further Brownfield expansion or will we have to do Greenfield expansion there?

PL Murugappan

More or less the Brownfield expansion will be completed. Then there won’t be the new capacity only.

Wealth Managers India Private Limited

My second question is regarding the ethanol and the sugar segment. As in the ethanol sales are like for FY '24 are around 51% of the total sugar segment. And we see that the margins also have increased in the sugar segment to say about 24%. So FY '25, '26, do we expect the ethanol to continue to remain higher as in the proportion to sales similar percentage?

PL Murugappan

Ethanol will be hig her only, but in the coming year, the sugar sales will be a little higher than the ethanol sales.

Wealth Managers India Private Limited

Okay. So the margins might go back to the previous average?

Wealth Managers India Private Limited

Okay. And last question, what is the order book that we have currently?

PL Murugappan

Around INR 1,000 crores plus kind of order book.

Wealth Managers India Private Limited

Sorry?

PL Murugappan

More than INR 1,000 crores order book.

Wealth Managers India Private Limited

Okay. Thank you.

Moderator

Thank you. The next question is f rom the line of Sunil Shah. Please go ahead.

Sir, K.P.R. has been one of our portfolio companies for more than 10 years. Sir, just if I observe the way in which we have grown from just pure yarn to fabric and th en to value added garments, but in the last 3 years our EBITDA has been in that range of INR1,300 crores mark and PAT has been in the range of about INR800 crores mark. Now top line has grown from INR 4,800 crores to INR 6,000 crores etc, but our EBITDA margins have come down. So I want to understand is there any structural issue which is causing this kind of thing because 3 years in a row, we have not seen EBITDA consolidate or PAT consolidate. Now Europe is a challenge where about 60% of our revenue or e xports are coming through China. US. is about 20%. So I want to understand, is there anything from the demand side or is there anything from extra new competition? Why are we consolidating at these levels? If you could explain this or make me understand this much better.

PL Murugappan

Basically, if you look at the textile industry as a whole. In 2022 - 2023, and 2023, -2024 is facing a margin pressure in all sense especially yarn is facing a tough scenario. And margins used to be somewhere around 17%, 18%. Now it is somewhere around 10%, 12%. So the margin pressure is on the yarn front is causing reduction in the EBITDA percentage, and we were able to pull it down because so if you look at the spinning companies, they are having a very tough time. Because of our integral strength and the fully integrated business model we were able to maintain the profitability even though in the tough times. Otherwise, the margin pressure is there in every equipment because the yarn -- from yarn to garment, every stage we h ave a margin pressure because of the integration and the unique manufacturing setups we were able to fully turn up. If the market is turned back, the things will improve substantially.

Okay. So we are seeing some challenges on the demand side. That's the reason why we are seeing this consolidation and what is it that is going to change going forward?

PL Murugappan

Basically, the yarn demand need to be improved from the present level to next level. And the garment demand also has to improve because we are being the large player we were able to get orders and to produce more number of garments. But the small garment players are facing problems. If you look at order position, sir, more or less 30%, 40% lesser than the normal. So the demand for yar n has come down substantially that resulted in the lower margins in EBITDA for the yarn business. So those things need to be improved especially Tirupur is being knitwear cluster of India, the market should improve then only the yarn prices will improve. T he other business also will start improving like fabric sales dyeing and other things will improve. So overall market sentiments will improve.

So my one more point is that if we see this kind of prolonged demand challenges, could we see many pl ayers winding up and moving out of the business and then a few successful strong integrated players will have better opportunity is that a reasonable assumption?

PL Murugappan

Would be possible, sir, but it's not entirely correct because in the spinning industry people investing a lot of money, So they can withhold them for some time.

Okay. Globally, China is causing any challenge for us in terms of providing these products to the European and the U.S. market?

PL Murugappan

China is coming as a competitor for yarn and fabric, they are selling it at a discounted prices in the market that causes the yarn margins and the fabric margins.

Fine sir. Thanks for this making understand things better.

Moderator

The next qu estion is from the line of Biplab Debbarma from Antique Stock broking. Please go ahead.

Biplab Debbarma

Sir, the margin pressure that you are seeing, is it because of the competition or because the overall demand from our export country is muted. And I'm just trying to understand what is causing this margin pressure?

PL Murugappan

Margin pressure basically because of the lesser demand from the garment manufacturers because yarn needs to be sold to the end users garment manufacturers where the orders are v ery low, so the demand is not there because there's a lot of -- too many suppliers in the market for us now comparatively lesser buyers.

Biplab Debbarma

That I understood. So the demand for garment is it lesser in Tirupur because of the competition from t hat Bangladesh and other Vietnam or because of the overall demand, overall buy from Europe has shrunk.

PL Murugappan

Overall demand from Europe is getting affected because of this war.

Biplab Debbarma

So these things may improve as the situation in Europ e improve?

PL Murugappan

It is slowly improving.

Biplab Debbarma

Okay. Okay. So the things would be back to normal.

PL Murugappan

Yes back to normal 24%.

Biplab Debbarma

Thank you.

Moderator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Anush Kumar from Spark Asia Impact Managers. Please go ahead.

Spark Asia Impact Managers

Good afternoon sir. This is Anush. So I got a question and my question is on FASO. So what is your aspirational targets like 3 to 5 years down the line, what would be the contribution from FASO to be top line? And this is a different business to your existing core textile which is more of a B2C business, and that would be cash burn. So with respect to addition store addition as well as the employee cost. So what is your target in terms of on both top line and bottom line with respect to FASO?

PL Murugappan

So we have a target of about INR100 crores in 3 years' time. And the stores and all are not decided. Now, we are operating on dealer model.

Spark Asia Impact Managers

Okay then. Thank you.

Pratik Kothari

Yes, Hi. Thank you. Good evening sir. My first question on we are generating quite some INR600 crores, INR700 crores of cash every year in our cape x plans, at least in the near term doesn't seem to be so high? I mean, yes, we have increased dividend, but any plans for buyback or any -- are you thinking -- what are you thinking about the further capital allocation from here?

PL Murugappan

Just we are seeing the opportunity, if we get some opportunities, we will be utilizing it. Otherwise, we'll decide the further course of action.

Pratik Kothari

Because even to put up a greenfield, I mean, like we did last year, last time, greenfield government capac ity does not require so much capex. So unless we are putting that money in sugar, we might not require such large capex.

PL Murugappan

That's what I'm telling you. We are just waiting for some opportunity because business, we need to invest because it can generate a lot of money. So we are just waiting for some opportunity in the first half. We will decide what to do.

Pratik Kothari

Opportunities on the sugar side or textile garment?

PL Murugappan

Basically, in the textile, in case any opportunity comes in the other segments also, we will look at it.

Pratik Kothari

Fair enough. And sir, I mean, yes, the realizations on garment are lower, but volume-wise, we have grown quite well this year. I mean, from 128 million to 150 -odd, this is despite U.S., Europe not lifting as much volume as they used to do a year back or the demand they're not being as good. So what is driving this growth for us? Is it just new customers? Or are we replacing someone different, if you can just talk about how are we outperforming the end market in this year.

PL Murugappan

Being a large player in this segment, especially in the basic garment segment , we were able to compete with the others because others are having some issues in a stand -alone garment units, they have to buy everyt hing from outside. The margin is comparatively lower. So the orders also, the big players wanted to place with the large manufacturers, so that the delivery time and the price competitiveness also will be good. That's why we are able to perform well. We ar e expecting that we will continue to perform.

Moderator

Thank you. The next follow -up question is from the line of Vikas Jain from Equirus Securities. Please go ahead.

Equirus Capital

Sir, one question from my side. Given the fact that our cotton prices remai n stable at current levels, garment realizations for the next year will largely remain at the same pace? Or are there any value additions that we're doing in our overall offerings?

PL Murugappan

We've already done all the value additions we proposed. So expected to be around this level only.

Moderator

The next question is from the line of Dipen Shah our Individual Investor. Please go ahead.

I had one question on the cotton side, sir. Could you just give us some more insights on how are the cot ton prices currently in respect to the international prices, we are listening and hearing or maybe reading reports that international cotton prices have started coming down significantly. So what impact could it have on our cotton procurement and what are our plans maybe over the next 2, 3 quarters, sir?

PL Murugappan

Actually, the garment being agricultural commodity and the seasonal, and the new season will start from October. Already, the mills would have purchased for this quarter. And the next quarter, they may be purchasing it. The prices of international cotton prices are lesser by about 3%, 4% than the Indian prices. So the import -- where we import the medium staple cottons from overseas, it costs about 5% more, 5.5% more because of the duty. So mo re or less, the prices are in line with the Indian prices. We don't see much of a traction in that.

Okay. So on an average, for the current year, our cotton cost should be similar to the last year, around that much only?

PL Murugappan

The first half instead of full year we cannot predict, the first half expected to be the same.

Moderator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Deepak from Sundaram Mutual Fund.

Deepak

Sir, just a follow -up question on garment. Sir, could you please share what was the revenue from just the garment product sales and the incentives which we clock for FY '24?

PL Murugappan

Incentives is somewhere around 7% but the invoice is INR170.

Deepak

Sir, could you repeat again?

PL Murugappan

The incentives includes the 7%. The INR170 includes the 7% incentive

Deepak

Sir I'm asking what was our garment product sales? Because I understand that in your garment, you include your export incentives and some other income as well. I'm just asking what was the garment product sale, which you report in your annual report?

Moderator

Thank you. As there are no further questions from the participants. I now hand the conference over to management for closing comments.

PL Murugappan

Indian textile industry is expected to rebound in the current year and consistent improvement in the domestic demand, lower cotton prices and gradual recovery in exports is an ability to achieve impressive performance, even in difficult market conditions, strategic diversification, adapt to changing market dynamics and a focus on emerging opportunities. K.P.R. stands well positioned to further expand its market share and maintain its consistent growth level. Thank you once again. Thank you all.

Moderator

On behalf of Batlivala & Karani Securities, that concludes this conference. Thank you for joining us, and you may now disconnect your lines.